Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer is a single-ply membrane that consists of a synthetic rubber compound that allows it to be flexible. EPDM has been used on commercial roofing facilities since the 1960s and is considered a time-tested option.
With EPDM, you have an option of choosing from 45, 60, or 90 mils thickness and either black or white for the color. While TPO has a natural white color, EPDM results in a dark gray or black color for your roof. The darker color is not helpful in reflecting UV rays; it does retain heat for those in cooler weather.
Thermoplastic Polyolefin is a single-ply roofing membrane that is one of the fastest growing commercial roofing systems on the market. TPO roofing systems are made up of a single layer of synthetics and reinforcing scrim that can be used to cover flat roofs. Known as “White Roofs,” TPO is generally manufactured white and highly reflective.
TPO membrane can be attached to the cover board with a bonding adhesive or mechanically fastened. When the membrane is rolled out, the contractor then returns and uses a hot-air gun to hot air weld the seams together.
Spray foam roofing can be used to solve your commercial building’s toughest challenges, inside and out. When it comes to spray foam, a few options are depending on your project requirements.
We’ve installed over 57,700,000 sq. feet of roofing domestically and internationally and during that time we helped business owners protect their facilities with spray foam.
In this article, we cover the difference between open and closed cell spray foam.
What is Spray Foam?
Spray Polyurethane Foam Roofing, or spray foam roofing, is a material that is sprayed as a liquid so that it can expand into a foam. While SPF roofing is not the most known type of insulation and roofing material, the technology has been around since the early 1960s for industrial, commercial, and residential facilities.
Closed Cell Spray Foam
Closed Cell spray foam is made of cells that are encapsulated and pressed tightly together to prevent air and moisture penetration inside the foam.
More common of the two types of spray foam, closed cell is mostly used for commercial roofing. While it may be costlier to install, it saves the building owner money in the long run from sustainability and energy savings long-term.
Benefits of Closed Cell Spray Foam:
Higher R-value (6.5 and higher)
Better Insulation
Resistant to Water Degradation
Water Resistance Helps Prevent Mold
Strong Material that can strengthen walls/roofs structure
Open Cell Spray Foam
Open Cell spray foam is made of open cells that are softer and flexible with the physical structure similar to a sponge shape.
Less common of the two types of spray foam, open cell is mostly used for residential and commercial insulation. The open cell material is more affordable compared to closed cell and expands more, which makes it an excellent material for tight spaces and areas with nooks and crannies.
Spray Polyurethane Foam Roofing Systems are becoming the go-to roofing for commercial, industrial, and even residential facilities that are looking for a long-lasting, economically efficient option. From installation and throughout your warranty, the savings of your new SPF can pay off the roof system and save you money down the road.
Single-Ply Membranes are sheets of rubber and other synthetics that can come in rolls and are cute and adhered to your facility roof on top of the insulation. There are two main types of single-ply membrane commercial roofing: Thermoplastic Polyolefin (TPO) and Ethylene Propylene Diene Terpolymer (EPDM). They differ in their chemical makeup, how they are installed and their energy efficiencies.
There are three ways to attach the single-ply membrane to the cover board: ballasted with rocks or stones, adhesion with a rolled on adhesive or mechanically fastened with equipment.
Roof warranties are essential to protect yourself and your building from faulty products and costly repairs. While a roof warranty is a great way to protect yourself, it’s important to make sure that you keep your roof warranty valid, or else you may be stuck with the bill.
At West Roofing Systems, our team of experts helps customers with new and existing warranties every day. But what should you do after your original roof warranty expires? In this article, we cover your options to protect your roof systems.
In this article, we will cover types of commercial roof warranties and what can cause your roof warranty to become void.
Types of Commercial Roof Warranties
When you install a new roofing system, you will have a few warranty options.
Contractor’s Workmanship Guarantee – A contractor workmanship guarantee is issued by the contractor or company that installed the roof on your facility. Workmanship warranties typically cover the cost of labor and materials for the necessary repairs and last one to ten years depending on the contractor.
Manufacturer’s Material Warranty – A manufacturer product warranty is issued by the company that manufactures the materials used by your contractor. These warranties cover any failures or defects in the materials used and are only issued after the contractor installs the materials
Manufacturer’s Full System Warranty – A full system warranty that is provided by the material manufacturer and covers not only the material used, but it will also cover the flashings and other accessories used for the roof system. The costs for the labor to replace the materials is also included.
What Can Void Your Commercial Roof Warranty
A voided roof warranty means that you are responsible for any payments to repair the damage to your roof. Compare your roof to a cell phone: If your cell phone stops working, you can get a free replacement, but if it stops working because you took it apart or dropped it in water, you don’t get the free replacement.
Work on Mechanical Roof Equipment
Many commercial buildings have mechanical equipment or penetrations located on the roof surface. These can include:
HVAC
Skylights
Vents
Drains
Pipes
Gas Lines
When installation, removal or repairs need to be done on these types of roof penetrations, you should call your roof contractor to make sure that there is no damage done to the roofing system. Your contractor may come out to re-seal the penetration or advise on how to protect your roof during the project.
If you have mechanical work done on your roof, without consulting your roofing contractor, and the project causes damage to your roof system, then your warranty will be voided, and you will have to pay out of pocket for repairs.
Misuse or Excessive Traffic on Roof
Many roofs double as outdoor space with pathways, patios or even restaurants and bars. These roofs are specially designed to support the use of the roof without causing damage. If you use your commercial in a way it was not designed for, you can cause some significant damage.
This means using walkways when accessing the roof and to avoid using the roof in ways that it was not designed for. Damage is not covered by your warranty when you are misusing your roof, and you will have to pay out of pocket for repairs.
Products or Work Not Approved by Warranty Provider
If your roof does have damage or a leak, it’s important to stay within your warranty to resolve the problem. If your contractor uses the wrong materials or methods, your bill may not be covered by the warranty.
Something else to keep in mind is who you hire to perform work on your roof. If a contractor that is not listed on the warranty makes repairs or changes to your roof system, any leaks or damage due to their work will not be covered by your warranty, and you will have to pay out of pocket for repairs.
Trapped Moisture from Walls
If there is damage somewhere else in your building that affects the roof, it could void your warranty. Some examples of this include:
HVAC leaking into the roof insulation
Condensation collecting within the walls and mold traveling into the roof layers
Damage to a chimney or vent that allows water or animals to cause damage under the roof surface.
This type of damage cannot be predicted by your roofing contractor, so any damage to the roof or insulation because of other areas of the building can void your warranty.
A commercial roof warranty is only as good as the roof installation. At West Roofing Systems, we take pride in the new roofs we install and the maintenance we provide for our customers and their commercial, industrial and manufacturing buildings.
Choosing West Roofing Systems as a turnkey roofing company will provide you with highly trained teams and award-winning service. Our services are flexible and diverse; we can recoat, repair or replace your facility’s roof so that it lasts decades. Call us today at 1-800-356-5748 to talk to our experts about your next roofing project.
Spray Polyurethane Foam, aka SPF, is a material that made by combining two liquids (a polyol/resin and an isocyanate) as it’s sprayed onto the existing roof substrate. It creates a foam that expands 20 times in size to form a seamless foam surface. When the foam has expanded, this layer can be between 1 and 1.5 inches in thickness.
When the installation is complete, it will create a durable, moisture-resistant renewable foam roof covering. SPF roofing is not the most known type of roofing material; the technology has been around since the 1960s for industrial, commercial, and residential facilities.
It can be a whirlwind to work with contractors on a roofing project. People are coming and going, and you may not know what they are charging you for. It’s essential to have an understanding with your contractor so that you know what to expect during your commercial roof installation.
Here at West Roofing Systems, we’ve installed over 57,700,000 sq. feet of roofing domestically and internationally. During that time, we have noticed that it can be tough to trust a contractor with such a big project.
We are dedicated to not selling you a new roof but working with you on a solution for your roofing problem. In this article, we will explain what you can expect after you sign your roof contract and get ready to start your roofing project.
The last step of the roof quote process is to provide a project proposal. You have the opportunity to negotiate or revise your project to meet your building needs and budget. After an agreement is reached, we accept a signed contract a few different ways:
Signed Proposal
Purchase Order
AIA Contract
When the signed document is received, we move forward with getting your project on our schedule.
Scheduling A Roof Project
Our team gets together regularly to put new projects on our production schedule. We always recommend contacting our technical reps before the roofing season starts. The earlier you get a signed contract to our team, the earlier your project will be secured on our schedule.
There are a few aspects that affect when your project is scheduled:
Weather – Weather is one of the most critical factors that affect the scheduling of a roof project. If you have roofing material that is more temperature sensitive (such as coatings or SPF), then you may be limited by time of year. If you have extreme weather (stints of heavy rain or dangerous heat), it will delay your project.
Crew Availability – Any contractor is limited by the number of crews that they have. As contracts are signed, crews are assigned to jobs. The later you start your project into the season, the further back you may be on a crews’ schedule. And if there is a delay in one of a crews’ jobs, it delays the rest of their jobs.
Level of Urgency – When we evaluate a facility roof and talk to the owner, we will determine how urgent a roof project is. If you have leaks and significant issues, you may be prioritized a bit higher on the list.
Distance – How far the crew has to travel for a project can affect when it gets scheduled. If a crew has to stay in hotels nearby, that project may wait until after a holiday.
Facility Schedule – We try to take into account the schedule of the facility that the roof is being installed on. For example, if we are working on a school building, we try to complete the project before the school years starts.
While we work on scheduling your roofing project, your technical rep will keep you up to date to when your project is due to start.
During the quote process, the technical rep will gather all of the information in regards to the materials needed, safety protocols and any other information that the crew needs to complete the job.
During the project preparation phase, the operations manager will come in to make sure the materials are ordered and ready, the safety director will review anything needed for the crew and public’s safety and the production manager will ensure that the crew is ready and on schedule for the project.
During this time, your technical rep and operations manager will stay in contact with you to ensure that you are up to date on the project schedule.
Day One of Roof Project
The first day of the roofing project is taken to set up and prepare for the project. Our teams set up safety equipment, coordinate where to store trucks and supplies and communicate with the building owner/manager to make sure we interfere as little as possible with their daily routines.
If you have any special requests or directions that the roofing crew should follow, this is the time that you can confirm that information with the project foreman.
Last Day of Roof Project
On the last day of the project, the crew finishes the installation and finalizes the project. When everything looks good, they will clean up their supplies and make sure everything is cleared off of the roof.
When they get off the roof, the crew will clean up anything on the ground including:
Replacing any grass
Clearing out any car or property protection
Making sure there is no trash left on the grounds
Quality Control
[caption id="attachment_26334" align="alignright" width="300"]Greg Haas Performing a Survey[/caption]
When the crew has fully completed the job, the technical rep will revisit the roof for quality control. They will take pictures of the completed work for the building owner to see and they will develop a punch list (a list of items that can be improved before the final sign off). A crew will come back to complete the punch list, and the project is done.
The technical rep will confirm with the building owner that the project is complete and talk about upkeep and roof maintenance. After that, West Roofing Systems is your roofing partner for when you have emergencies, repairs or other roof work to be done.
As summer comes to a close, most building managers start preparing for the changing seasons and, if you are so unlucky, winter weather. But if you wait until September to prepare your roof for the winter weather, you may be too late.
Roofing contractors have very seasonal schedules, and we want to make sure your facility is in tip top shape before the end of the season. In this article, we talk about what you should consider when scheduling a roofing project.
When Should You Start Scheduling a Roofing Project?
The Quick Answer - The best time to schedule a roofing project is before you have a problem.
In the Northern part of the US, we have a roofing season from around April/May until October (weather permitting), while in the Southern part of the US, the roofing season can last a lot longer. The best time to contact your roofing contractor is as soon as you think you have a project.
The busiest time for roofing contractors across the US in August – October. This is because there is a push to complete projects before the end of the season and building owners finally start thinking about preparing for the change in seasons.
It’s best to work in advance, contact your roofing contractor before the season starts to secure your spot on their calendar if you wait until the end of the season – you may have to wait until next year! If you need help creating a budget, call your contractor to get budget numbers so that you can accurately propose your project to the decision maker.
Determining Factors for Scheduling a Roofing Project
Weather – Weather is one of the most critical factors that affect the scheduling of a roof project. If you have roofing material that is more temperature sensitive (such as coatings or SPF), then you may be limited by time of year. If you have extreme weather (stints of heavy rain or dangerous heat), it will delay your project.
Material Availability – When you sign a contract for your roofing project, your contractor will order the material and supplies. If you require special materials or if your contractor doesn’t have materials on hand, then you may have to wait for them to arrive.
Contractor Availability – If your contractor has a backlog of customers (as most do when it comes to September time) it may take a week or two for a representative to evaluate your roof. This is why it’s important to contact your contractor BEFORE you have an emergency. When the evaluation is completed, you will most likely be put in the queue for your proposal to be created.
Crew Availability – Any contractor is limited by the number of crews that they have. As contracts are signed, crews are assigned to jobs. The later you start your project into the season, the further back you may be on a crews’ schedule. And if there is a delay in one of a crews’ jobs, it delays the rest of their jobs.
Level of Urgency – When a contractor evaluates a facility roof and talks to the owner, they will determine how urgent a roof project is. If you have leaks and significant issues, you may be prioritized a bit higher on the list.
Distance – How far the crew has to travel for a project can affect when it gets scheduled. If a crew has to stay in hotels nearby, that project may wait until after a holiday.
Our Commercial Roof Quote Process
[caption id="attachment_24319" align="alignright" width="300"]Commercial Roof Inspection or Survey[/caption]
Nothing in the company happens without a sale, and you can’t have a sale without a proposal. Once you are on a contractor’s schedule, the quote process can go by very quickly. It’s important to know what you should expect from a qualified roofing contractor.
Roof Assessment - The best way for our technical representative to determine the right roofing solution for you is to perform a roof assessment or field inspection of your facility.
Customer Meeting - This is a crucial meeting that can help us determine what you want to see in your roof quote.
Infrared Roof Survey - If the technical representative notices that the insulation under the membrane is wet, he may call for an infrared roof survey. Infrared Moisture Surveys give contractors the ability to see what is happening under your roof’s membrane without having to damage your roof system.
Create and Deliver A Proposal - In the proposal, our experts will outline what is needed to rectify any issues your roof system has, a full scope of work, timeline, and quote.
Signed Contract - During this time, there may be revisions to the proposal based on the customer’s budget or preferences. When the signed document is received, we move forward with getting your project on our schedule.
Depending on the size of your roof, and the size of your roof problem, scheduling your roof project may take some time and patience. It will make the process easier for you if you plan in advance and have clear expectations for your contractor. Don’t be afraid to ask for an expected timeline or project date ahead of time.
If you are in a pinch, we can still help! Contact our team today to schedule your roof maintenance before the end of the season!
Closed Cell spray foam is made of cells that are encapsulated and pressed tightly together to prevent air and moisture penetration inside the foam.
Commercial Roof Supplies[/caption]
Greg Haas Performing a Survey[/caption]
Single-Ply Membrane EPDM Installation[/caption]
SPF Installation[/caption]
Commercial Roof Inspection or Survey[/caption]